Wine exporter forum in New Zealand, July

Top international wine experts from Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, Asia and the USA, will provide New Zealand wine exporters with the latest insights and advice at the New Zealand Wine Exporters’ Forum being held in Christchurch on 29–31 July.

The biennial Forum is presented by New Zealand Winegrowers and is the major industry conference for New Zealand wine exporters.

Chris Yorke, global marketing director for New Zealand Winegrowers, said the Forum comes at a time when the New Zealand wine export industry needs to be particularly mindful of consumer trends in major export markets due to the current state of the global economy.

“Despite the global economic downturn the growth in the industry is strong – for instance we’ve seen 51% growth in the Australian market over the past year,” Yorke said.

“We continue to predict good growth but the global economy is presenting some unique challenges, making it critical for exporters to keep informed about what’s happening in our main export markets,” Yorke said.

Other international speakers at the Exporters’ Forum include Americans Chris Lynch, former CEO of Pernod Ricard New Zealand; and Doug Frost, one of only three in the world to achieve Master of Wine (MW) and Master Sommelier (MS) qualifications.

Grant Ramage, liquor merchandise & marketing manager at Coles Group, will present on the Australian wine retail market in the present economic climate.

The New Zealand Wine Exporters’ Forum will take place at the Christchurch Convention Centre from 29–31 July. Further information is available at www.nzwineexportersforum.co.nz.